The Weeknd: "Love In The Sky"
The Weeknd AKA Abel Tesfaye offers another effort titled "Love In The Sky" from his upcoming LP, Kiss Land, dropping September 10th. I'm [personally] not altogether blown away by the two singles that have been released but continue to have high hopes for the LP. Either way, peep the track below. Also, The Weeknd will be performing in Chicago on his massive Kiss Land Tour on October 13th & October 14th at The Chicago Theatre.
[Video] Justin Timberlake: "Take Back The Night"
Justin Timberlake is back with a funky video for his soulful debut track, "Take Back The Night" from his upcoming release, The 20/20 Experience: 2 of 2 - set to release on September 30th. The Uprising Creative directed visual features JT dance battling on the streets of Chinatown in NYC, concert footage from his "Legends Of The Summer" set at Yankees Stadium, and sailing through some smooth moves in the club. Ah, remnants of 2002.
http://youtu.be/DEzREJbln-o
You purchase "Take Back The Night" or pre-order The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2 on iTunes here.
R. Kelly: "My Story" (feat. 2 Chainz)
Yep, you read it right. An R. Kelly collaboration with 2 Chainz exists. And it's actually pretty damn good.
The original Chicago player linked up with Tity Boi for the debut track off his upcoming album [supposedly] titled, Black Panties. Mr. Kelly is having an ironically incredible year - he headlined Bonnaroo, played a 38 song set at Pitchfork, and was on the opening track of G.O.O.D. Music's compilation album, Cruel Summer. Teaming up with hip-hop's current go-to feature rapper only further solidifies his permanent reign over the R&B game. This classic Kellz track is braggadocious and repetitive with a rags to Versace story and the best quotables. Listen below.
You can purchase R. Kelly's new track, "My Story" featuring 2 Chainz on iTunes here.
[Video] #FACTSONLY Interview With Jay Z
Y'all didn't think YN was just going to sit back and let everyone but him get their one on one time with SC, did you? Rap Radar's Elliott Wilson sat down with enigma Jay Z for an installment of "The Truth With Elliott Wilson" exclusively on Jay Z's Life + Times YouTube channel.
In this two part #FactsOnly interview, Mr. Wilson picks Mr. Carter's brain at the Yankees baseball museum inside Yankeees stadium before Hov's "Legends Of The Summer" show alongside Justin Timberlake. In part one, the New Yorkers discuss the fruition of Magna Carta... Holy Grail, re-writing the rules in the music industry, his connection to NYC, and the new legends. In the second installment Jay speaks about the competitiveness in hip hop, his responsibility to managing young athletes, and his thoughts on the Trayvon Martin verdict.
Throughout the interview Jay is earnest, brutally honest, and seemingly comfortable - sharing vignettes of his life and declaring his reign over the multiple facets of business including music and sports management. Though Jay is typically meek and sarcastic in interviews, tip-toeing around questions he doesn't feel like answering, he divulges information and gives the viewer a sincere glimpse of himself as a man, husband, father, and artist.
Check out the #FactsOnly interview below. Shout-out to Elliott Wilson for this!
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[Mixtape] Nylo: "Indigo Summer"
With a co-sign from Nas (yes, that Nas) last year and Mac Miller sampling her (see "Someone Like You") on Watching Movies With The Sound Off - how are you still not up on LA - Chicago singer, Nylo? Well you need to be.
Just this past week, Nylo released her second EP, Indigo Summer, an incredible and unique seven track project, which is the prelude to her fall release, Indigo Rose. As Nylo describes it, "Indigo Summer is the reintroduction of color" and is chalked full of love entendres, "get the fuck out of my apartment and life" quips, blissful drug & sex references, and perhaps the dopest cover of Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" in existence.
Nylo's sound is something reminiscent of Aaliyah in her prime but meshed with the darkness and sometimes fascination with love and sex that The Weeknd possesses. Indigo Summer delivers a production twist with beats that are unpredictable meshed strong vocals and harmonies that are as eerie as they are captivating. For the EP, Nylo enlisted a little production help from the likes of [Grammy award-winning producer] Tricky Stewart, Soundz, Gilbere Forte, and 55 Million but she [noticably] takes the reigns on majority of the project.
If you're not familiar with Nylo, you should do yourself the honor. Stream and download Nylo's EP Indigo Summer below.
[Video] Run the Jewels: "36 Chain"
Peep the debut video from Run The Jewels, better known as El-P, Killer Mike, and [arguably] Mr. Killums, titled "36 Chain" from their self titled debut album, 36 Chain. The video, shot by Timothy Saccenti, features El and Killer as vigilante puppet avengers (see below) who take their work very seriously. Check out the cameos from Andrew W.K., Amber Tamblyn, and a few former members of Das Racist, too.
http://youtu.be/c_rwa4ZbKgA
Run the Jewels will be performing at Pitchfork Music Festival on July 21st. You can download their album, 36 Chain, for free.99 right here.
@RubyHornet @killermikegto we arent law in this video. we are vigilantes. we avenge puppets. sort of.
— el-p (@therealelp) July 16, 2013
[Video] The Weeknd: "Belong to the World"
Here is the newest visual from Toronto crooner, The Weeknd, off of his fourth LP, Kiss Land. The eight-minute video, directed by Anthony Mandler, views more like an independent, revolutionary, Kung Fu film but featuring a man with a really bad haircut. The Portishead sampled track ("Machine Gun") is a hint of the progressive sound to come on the next album yet with the same story line (boy meets absent-minded, all love lost, no feeling kind of girl who likes to party). But decide for yourself and peep the clip below.
http://youtu.be/lYO77zNhWl4
[Video] YP: "Softly"
YP is back with a new smoothed out track and visual titled, "Softly." This C-Sick produced cut was directed by Chicago's go-to director, D-Gainz and will be featured on his upcoming mixtape, Restless. Peep the track below.
http://youtu.be/t0ahv2o0Z80